superiority consists in their capability of melting on an average forty pourings of the most difficult metals, and a still greater number of those of an ordinary character, some of them having actually reached the extraordinary number of 96 meltings. These crucibles never crack, become heated much more rapidly than any other description, and require only one annealing, may be used any number of times without further trouble, change of temperature (they may be plunged while cold into a furnace nearly white hot without cracking) having no effect on them. The Patent Plumbago Crucible Company are the greatest consumers of the Ceylon Graphite brought to the United Kingdom. The total quantity of Graphite exports from Ceylon in 1862 was 40,195 cwt., of which 34,730 cwt. was shipped to Great Britain. This Company are at present carrying out very extensive improvements on the river side along the front of their premises in the construction of a river wall built of Portland Cement Concrete, the foundations of which are carried down four feet below Trinity Low Water Mark, which have been done without the aid of a coffer-dam. These works when completed will reclaim a very valuable frontage of the river. The total length of wall and camp-shedding together with the adjoining property of Messrs. May and Baker's Chemical Works will be about 500 feet. These improvements if extended westward towards the Parish Church will be the means of doing away with the unsightly mud banks which now exist, there is no doubt then a clean foreshore will be accomplished similar to the south side lower down the river where more extensive embankment works have been constructed. Behind a portion of the wall which the Plumbago Company are constructing will be some extensive cellars, which will be covered over with a concrete floor carried on wrought iron girders and supported by cast iron columns, and on the top of this floor will be a tram seven feet wide for the use of a heavy steam crane, and when completed will be able to unload goods out of barges alongside and deliver the same into the second floor of the present warehouse. These works have been constructed from the designs and under the superintendence of Mr. W. H. Thomas, C.E., of 15 Parliament Street, Westminster, Engineer to the Patent Plumbago Crucible Company, and now being carried out by Messrs. B. Cook & Co., of Phœnix Wharf, Church Road Battersea, Mr. Maples acting as Clerk of the Works. The same firm are also constructing large river-side works at Nine Elms for the London Gas-Light Company for a Ship's Berth, from the design and under the superintendence of Robert Morton, Esq., the Company's Engineer. A very striking feature is connected with the latter works, as it is proposed to bring vessels up the river capable of carrying 1,000 tons of coals which will be discharged by the use of hydraulic cranes and delivered by tram direct into the Gas Works.